美国文学简史笔记常耀信

1、AConciseHistoryofAmericanLiteratureWhatisliterature?Literatureislanguageartisticallyusedtoachieveidentifiableliteraryqualitiesandtoconveymeaningfulmessages.Chapter1ColonialPeriodI. Background:Puritanism1. featuresofPuritanism(1) Predestination:Goddecidedeverythingbeforethingsoccurred.(2) Originalsin

2、:Humanbeingswereborntobeevil,andthisoriginalsincanbepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.(3) Totaldepravity(4) Limitedatonement:Onlythe“elect“canbesaved.2. InfluenceAgroupofgoodqualities-hardwork,thrift,piety,sobriety(seriousandthoughtful)influencedAmericanliterature.(2) Itledtotheeverlastingmyth.Al

3、lliteratureisbasedonamythgardenofEden.(3) Symbolism:theAmericanpuritan'smetaphoricailfrpeidieptionwaschieflyinstrumentalincallingintobeingaliterarysymbolismwhichisdistinctlyAmerican.(4) Withregardtotheirwriting,thestyleisfresh,simpleanddirect;therhetoricisplainandhonest,notwithoutatouchofnobilit

4、yoftentraceabletothedirectinfluenceoftheBible.II. Overviewoftheliterature1. typesofwritingdiaries,histories,journals,letters,travelbooks,autobiographies/biographies,sermons2. writersofcolonialperiod(1) AnneBradstreet(2) EdwardTaylor(3) RogerWilliams(4) JohnWoolman(5) ThomasPaine(6) PhilipFreneauIII.

5、 JonathanEdwards1. life2. works(1) TheFreedomoftheWill(2) TheGreatDoctrineofOriginalSinDefended(3) TheNatureofTrueVirtue3. ideas-pioneeroftranscendentalism(1) Thespiritofrevivalism(2) Regenerationofman(3) God'spresence(4) PuritanidealismIV. BenjaminFranklin1. life2. works(1) PoorRichardAlmsanac(

6、2) Autobiography3. contribution(1) HehelpedfoundthePennsylvaniaHospitalandtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety.(2) Hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfire(electricityinthiscase-1-fromheaven(3) Everythingseemstomeetinthisoneman“Jackofalltrades”.HermanMelvillethusdescribedhim“masterofeachandmasteredby

7、none".Chapter2AmericanRomanticismSection 1 EarlyRomanticPeriodWhatisRomanticism?AnapproachfromancientGreek:PlatoAliterarytrend:18cinBritain(17981832)SchlegelBros.I. Preview:Characteristicsofromanticism1. subjectivity(1) feelingandemotions,findingtruth(2) emphasisonimagination(3) emphasisonindiv

8、idualism-personalfreedom,noheroworship,naturalgoodnessofhumanbeings2. backtomedieval,espmedievalfolkliterature(1) unrestrainedbyclassicalrules(2) fullofimagination(3) colloquiallanguage(4) freedomofimagination(5) genuineinfeelings:answertheircallforclassics3. backtonaturenatureis“breathinglivingthin

9、g”(Rousseau)II. AmericanRomanticism1. Background(1) Politicalbackgroundandeconomicdevelopment(2) RomanticmovementinEuropeancountriesDerivative-foreigninfluence2. features(1) Americanromanticismwasinessencetheexpressionof“arealnewexperienceandcontained“analienquality“forthesimplereasonthat“thespiritc

10、wasradicallynewandalien.(2) ThereisAmericanPuritanismasaculturalheritagetoconsider.Americanromanticauthorstendedmoretomoralize.ManyAmericanromanticwritingsintendedtoedifymorethantheyentertained.(3) The“newnessofAmericansasanationisinconnectionwithAmericanRomanticism.(4) Asalogicalresultoftheforeigna

11、ndnativefactorsatwork,Americanromanticismwasbothimitativeandindependent.III. WashingtonIrving1. severalnamesattachedtoIrving(1) firstAmericanwriter(2) themessengersentfromthenewworldtotheoldworld(3) fatherofAmericanliterature2. life3. works(1) AHistoryofNewYorkfromtheBeginningoftheWorldtotheEndofthe

12、DutchDynasty(2) TheSketchBookofGeoffreyCrayon,Gent.(Hewonameasureofinternationalrecognitionwiththepublicationofthis.)(3) TheHistoryoftheLifeandVoyagesofChristopherColumbus(4) AChronicleoftheConquestofGranada-2-(5) TheAlhambra4. Literarycareer:twoparts(1) 18091832a. SubjectsareeitherEnglishorEuropean

13、b. Conservativelovefortheantique(2) 18321859:backtoUS5. style-beautiful(1) gentility,urbanity,pleasantness(2) avoidingmoralizing-amusingandentertaining(3) envelopingstoriesinanatmosphere(4) vividandtruecharacters(5) humour-smilingwhilereading(6) musicallanguageIV. JamesFenimoreCooper1. life2. works(

14、1) Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAustenPrideandPrejudices)(2) TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)(3) LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie3. pointofviewthethemeofwildernessvs.civilization,freedomvs.la

15、w,ordervs.change,aristocratvs.democrat,naturalrightsvs.legalrights4. style(1) highlyimaginative(2) goodatinventingtales(3) goodatlandscapedescription(4) conservative(5) characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability(6) languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic5. literaryachievementsHecreatedamythaboutthefo

16、rmativeperiodoftheAmericannation.IfthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesis,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooperLeatherstockingsTaleseffectivelyapproximatestheAmericannationalexperienceofadventureintotheWest.Heturnedthewestandfrontierasauseabl

17、epastandhehelpedtointroducewesterntraditiontoAmericanliterature.Section 2 SummitofRomanticismAmericanTranscendentalismI. Background:foursources1. Unitarianism(1) FatherhoodofGod(2) Brotherhoodofmen(3) LeadershipofJesus(4) Salvationbycharacter(perfectionofone'scharacter)(5) Continuedprogressofman

18、kind(6) Divinityofmankind(7) Depravityofmankind2. RomanticIdealismCenteroftheworldisspirit,absolutespirit(Kant)3. OrientalmysticismCenteroftheworldis“oversoul”-3-4. PuritanismEloquentexpressionintranscendentalismII. Appearance1836,"Nature"byEmersonIII. Features1. spirit/oversoul2. importan

19、ceofindividualism3. nature-symbolofspirit/Godgarmentoftheoversoul4. focusinintuition(irrationalismandsubconsciousness)IV. Influence1. Itservedasanethicalguidetolifeforayoungnationandbroughtabouttheideathathumancanbeperfectedbynature.Itstressedreligioustolerance,calledtothrowoffshacklesofcustomsandtr

20、aditionsandgoforwardtothedevelopmentofanewanddistinctlyAmericanculture.2. Itadvocatedidealismthatwasgreatneededinarapidlyexpandedeconomywhereopportunityoftenbecameopportunism,andthedesireto“get0moralobscuredthnecessityforrisingtospiritualheight.3. IthelpedtocreatethefirstAmericanrenaissanceoneofthem

21、ostprolificperiodinAmericanliterature.V. RalphWaldoEmerson1. life2. works(1) Nature(2) Twoessays:TheAmericanScholar,ThePoet3. pointofview(1) Onemajorelementofhisphilosophyishisfirmbeliefinthetranscendenceofthe“oversoul".(2) Heregardsnatureasthepurest,andthemostsanctifyingmoralinfluenceonman,and

22、advocatedadirectintuitionofaspiritualandimmanentGodinnature.(3) Ifmandependsuponhimself,cultivateshimselfandbringsoutthedivineinhimself,hecanhopetobecomebetterandevenperfect.ThisiswhatEmersonmeansby“theinfinitudeofman".(4) Everyoneshouldunderstandthathemakeshimselfbymakinghisworld,andthathemake

23、stheworldbymakinghimself.4. aestheticideas(1) Heisacompleteman,aneternalman.(2) Truepoetryandtrueartshouldennoble.(3) Thepoetshouldexpresshisthoughtinsymbols.(4) Astotheme,EmersoncalleduponAmericanauthorstocelebrateAmericawhichwastohimalonepoeminitself.5. hisinfluenceVI. HenryDavidThoreau1. life2. w

24、orks(1) AWeekontheConcordandMerrimackRiver(2) Walden(3) APleaforJohnBrown(anessay)3. pointofview(1) HedidnotlikethewayamaterialisticAmericawasdevelopingandwasvehementlyoutspokenonthepoint.(2) Hehatedthehumaninjusticeasrepresentedbytheslaverysystem.-4-(3) LikeEmerson,butmorethanhim,Thoreausawnatureas

25、agenuinerestorative,healthyinfluenceonman'sspiri-beingell(4) Hehasfaithintheinnervirtueandinward,spiritualgraceofman.(5) Hewasverycriticalofmoderncivilization.(6) aSimplicitysimplify!”(7) Hewassorelydisgustedwith“thenundationsofthedirtyinstitutionsofmen'sodd-fellowsociety".(8) Hehascalm

26、trustinthefutureandhisardentbeliefinanewgenerationofmen.Section3LateRomanticismI. NathanielHawthorne1. life2. works(1) Twocollectionsofshortstories:Twice-toldTales,MossesfromandOldManse(2) TheScarletLetter(3) TheHouseoftheSevenGables(4) TheMarbleFaun3. pointofview(1) Evilisatthecoreofhumanlife,“that

27、blacknessinHawthorne”(2) Wheneverthereissin,thereispunishment.Sinorevilcanbepassedfromgenerationtogeneration(causality).(3) Heisoftheopinionthatevileducates.(4) Hehasdisgustinscience.4. aestheticideas(1) Hetookagreatinterestinhistoryandantiquity.Tohimthesefurnishthesoilonwhichhismindgrowstofruition.

28、(2) HewasconvincedthatromancewasthepredestinedformofAmericannarrative.Totellthetruthandsatirizeandyetnottooffend:ThatwaswhatHawthornehadinmindtoachieve.5. style-typicalromanticwriter(1) theuseofsymbols(2) revelationofcharacters'psychology(3) theuseofsupernaturalmixedwiththeactual(4) hisstoriesar

29、eparable(parableinform)-toteachalesson(5) useofambiguitytokeepthereaderintheworldofuncertaintymultiplepointofviewII. HermanMelville1. life2. works(1) Typee(2) Omio(3) Mardi(4) Redburn(5) WhiteJacket(6) MobyDick(7) Pierre(8) BillyBudd3. pointofview(1) Heneverseemsabletosayanaffirmativeyestolife:Hisis

30、theattitudeof“EverlastingNay”(negativeattitudetowardslife).(2) Oneofthemajorthemesofhisisalienation(farawayfromeachother).Otherthemes:loneliness,suicidalindividualism(individualismcausingdisasteranddeath),rejectionandquest,confrontationofinnocenceandevil,doubtsover-5-thecomforting19cideaofprogress4.

31、 style(1) LikeHawthorne,Melvillemanagestoachievetheeffectofambiguitythroughemployingthetechniqueofmultipleviewofhisnarratives.(2) Hetendstowriteperiodicchapters.(3) Hisrichrhythmicalproseandhispoeticpowerhavebeenprofuselycommenteduponandpraised.(4) Hisworksaresymbolicandmetaphorical.(5) Heincludesma

32、nynon-narrativechaptersoffactualbackgroundordescriptionofwhatgoesonboardtheshiporontheroute(MobyDick)RomanticPoetsI. WaltWhitman1. life2. work:LeavesofGrass(9editions)(1) SongofMyself(2) ThereWasaChildWentForth(3) CrossingBrooklynFerry(4) DemocraticVistas(5) PassagetoIndia(6) OutoftheCradleEndlessly

33、Rocking3. themes-aCatalogueofAmericanandEuropeanthought”HehadbeeninfluencedbymanyAmericanandEuropeanthoughts:enlightenment,idealism,transcendentalism,science,evolutionideas,westernfrontierspirits,Jefferson'sindividualism,CivilWarUnionism,Orientalism.Majorthemesinhispoems(almosteverything):equali

34、tyofthingsandbeingsdivinityofeverythingimmanenceofGoddemocracyevolutionofcosmosmultiplicityofnatureself-reliantspiritdeath,beautyofdeathexpansionofAmericabrotherhoodandsocialsolidarity(unityofnationsintheworld)pursuitofloveandhappiness4. style:"freeverse”(1) nofixedrhymeorscheme(2) parallelism,

35、arhythmofthought(3) phoneticrecurrence(4) thehabitofusingsnapshots(5) theuseofacertainpronoun"I"(6) alooserandmoreopen-endedsyntacticstructure(7) useofconventionalimage(8) strongtendencytouseoralEnglish(9) vocabulary-powerful,colourful,rarelyusedwordsofforeignorigins,someevenwrong(10) sent

36、ences-cataloguetechnique:longlistofnames,longpoemlines5. influence(1) HisbestworkhasbecomepartofthecommonpropertyofWesternculture.(2) HetookoverWhitman'svisionoftheppeiphetandpoet-teacherandrecastitinamoresophisticatedandEuropeanizedmood.-6-(3) HehasbeencomparedtoamountaininAmericanliteraryhisto

37、ry.(4) ContemporaryAmericanpoetry,whateverschoolorform,bearswitnesstohisgreatinfluence.II. EmilyDickenson1. life2. works(1) MyLifeClosedTwicebeforeItsClose(2) BecauseICan'tStopforDeath(3) IHeardaFlyBuzz-WhenIdied(4) MinebytheRightoftheWhiteElection(5) WildNights-WildNights3. themes:basedonherown

38、experiences/joys/sorrows(1) religion-doubtandbeliefaboutreligioussubjects(2) deathandimmortality(3) lovesufferingandfrustrationcausedbylove(4) physicalaspectofdesire(5) naturekindandcruel(6) freewillandhumanresponsibility4. style(1) poemswithouttitles(2) severeeconomyofexpression(3) directness,brevi

39、ty(4) musicaldevicetocreatecadence(rhythm)(5) capitallettersemphasis(6) shortpoems,mainlytwostanzas(7) rhetorictechniques:personification-makesomeofabstractideasvividIII. Comparison:Whitmanvs.Dickinson1. Similarities:(1) Thematically,theybothextolled,intheirdifferentways,anemergentAmerica,itsexpansi

40、on,itsindividualismanditsAmericanness,theirpoetrybeingpartof“AmericanRenaissance".(2) Technically,theybothaddedtotheliteraryindependenceofthenewnationbybreakingfreeoftheconventionoftheiambicpentameterandexhibitingafreedominformunknownbefore:theywerepioneersinAmericanpoetry.2. differences:(1) Wh

41、itmanseemstokeephiseyeonsocietyatlarge;Dickinsonexplorestheinnerlifeoftheindividual.(2) WhereasWhitmanis“national“inhisoutlook,Dickinsonis“regional(3) Dickinsonhasthe“cataloguetechnique(direct,simplestyle)whichWhitmandoesn'thave.EdgarAllenPoeI. LifeII. Works1. shortstories(1) ratiocinativestorie

42、sa.MsFoundinaBottleb.TheMurdersintheRueMorguec.ThePurloinedLetter(2) Revenge,deathandrebirtha. TheFalloftheHouseofUsherb. Ligeiac. TheMasqueoftheRedDeath(3) Literarytheorya. ThePhilosophyofCompositionb. ThePoeticPrinciplec. ReviewofHawthorneTWice-toldTalesIII. Themes1. death-predominantthemeinPoe

43、9;swriting“Poeisnotinterestedinanythingalive.EverythinginPoe'swritingsisdead2. disintegration(separation)oflife3. horror4. negativethoughtsofscienceIV. Aestheticideas1. Theshortstoriesshouldbeofbrevity,totality,singleeffect,compressionandfinality.2. Thepoemsshouldbeshort,andtheaimshouldbebeauty,

44、thetonemelancholy.Poemsshouldnotbeofmoralizing.Hecallsforpurepoetryandstressesrhythm.V. Styletraditional,butnoteasytoreadVI. Reputation:"thejingleman”(Emerson)VII. HisinfluencesChapter3TheAgeofRealismI. Background:FromRomanticismtoRealism1. thethreeconflictsthatreachedbreakingpointinthisperiod(

45、1) industrialismvs.agrarian(2) culturely-measuredeastvs.newly-developedwest(3) mercialgentility2. 1880'surbanization:fromfreecompetitiontomonopolycapitalism3. theclosingofAmericanfrontierII. Characteristics1. truthfuldescriptionoflife2. typicalcharacterundertypicalcircumstance3. objectiverathert

46、hanidealized,closeobservationandinvestigationoflife“Realisticwritersarelikescientists.”4. open-ending:Lifeiscomplexandcannotbefullyunderstood.Itleavesmuchroomforreaderstothinkbythemselves.5. concernedwithsocialandpsychologicalproblems,revealingthefrustrationsofcharactersinanenvironmentofsordidnessan

47、ddepravityIII. ThreeGiantsinRealisticPeriod1. WilliamDeanHowells-"DeanofAmericanRealism”(1) Realisticprinciplesa. Realismis“fidelitytoexperienceandprobabilityofmotive".b. Theaimis“talkofsomeordinarytraitsofAmericanlife".c. ManinhisnaturalandunaffecteddullnesswastheobjectofHowells'

48、fictionalrepresentation.d. Realismisbynomeansmerephotographicpicturesofexternalsbutincludesacentralconcernwith“motives"andpsychologicalconflicts.e. Hecondemnsnovelsofsentimentalityandmorbidself-sacrifice,andavoidssuchthemesasillicitlove.f. Authorsshouldminimizeplotandtheartificialorderingofthes

49、enseofsomethingadesultory,unfinished,imperfect".g. Charactersshouldhavesolidityofspecificationandbereal.h. Interpretingsympatheticallythe“commonfeelingsofcommonplacepeople'wasbestsuitedasatechniquetoexpressthespiritofAmerica.i. Heurgedwriterstowinnowtraditionandwriteinkeepingwithcurrent-8-h

50、umanitarianideals.j. Truthisthehighestbeauty,butitincludestheviewthatmoralitypenetratesallthings.k. Withregardtoliterarycriticism,Howellsfeltthattheliterarycriticshouldnottrytoimposearbitraryorsubjectiveevaluationsonbooksbutshouldfollowthedetachedscientistinaccuratedescription,interpretation,andclas

51、sification.(2) Worksa. TheRiseofSilasLaphamb. AChanceAcquaintancec. AModernInstance(3) FeaturesofHisWorksa. Optimistictoneb. Moraldevelopment/ethicsc. Lackingofpsychologicaldepth2. HenryJames(1) Life(2) Literarycareer:threestagesa. 18651882:internationalthemeTheAmericanDaisyMillerThePortraitofaLadyb

52、. 18821895:inter-personalrelationshipsandsomeplaysDaisyMiller(play)c. 18951900:novellasandtalesdealingwithchildhoodandadolescence,thenbacktointernationalthemeTheTurnoftheScrewWhenMaisieKnewTheAmbassadorsTheWingsoftheDoveTheGoldenBowl(3) Aestheticideasa. Theaimofnovel:representlifeb. Common,evenuglys

53、ideoflifec. Socialfunctionofartd. Avoidingomniscientpointofview(4) Pointofviewa. Psychologicalanalysis,forefatherofstreamofconsciousnessb. Psychologicalrealismc. Highly-refinedlanguage(5) Style“stylist”a. Language:highly-refined,polished,insightful,accurateb. Vocabulary:largec. Construction:complica

54、ted,intricate3. MarkTwain(seenextsection)LocalColorism1860s,1870s7890sI. Appearance1. unevendevelopmentineconomyinAmerica2. culture:flourishingoffrontierliterature,humourists3. magazinesappearedtoletwriterpublishtheirworksII. Whatis“LocalColour”？Tasksoflocalcolourists:towriteorpresentlocalcharacters

55、oftheirregionsintruthful-9-depictiondistinguishedfromothers,usuallyaverysmallpartoftheworld.Regionalliterature(similar,butlargerinworld)Garland,Harte-thewestEggleston-IndianaMrsStoweJewett-MaineChopinLouisianaIII. MarkTwain-Mississippi1. life2. works(1) TheGildedAge(2) “thetwoadvantages”(3) Lifeonth

56、eMississippi(4) AConnecticutYankeeinKingArthur'sCourt(5) TheManThatCorruptedHardleybug3. style(1) colloquiallanguage,vernacularlanguage,dialects(2) localcolour(3) syntacticfeature:sentencesaresimple,brief,sometimesungrammatical(4) humour(5) talltales(highlyexaggerated)(6) socialcriticism(satireo

57、nthedifferentuglythingsinsociety)IV. Comparisonofthethree“giants"ofAmericanRealism1. ThemeHowells-middleclassJames-upperclassTwain-lowerclass2. TechniqueHowellssmiling/genteelrealismJamespsychologicalrealismTwainlocalcolourismandcolloquialismChapter4AmericanNaturalismI. Background1. Darwin'stheory:anaturalselection”2. Spenser'sidea:"socialDarwinism”3. FrenchNaturalism:ZoraII. Features1. environmentandheredity2. scientificaccuracyandalotofdetails3. genera